Thursday, April 02, 2009

TT #124

Thirteen Science Requests from Donors Choose

I really do have a bunch of pictures I want to post, but two things happened today resulting in this Thursday Thirteen:

I read this story. Go ahead and click--it's short; I'll wait. Briefly, it's about a kid who got in trouble for building a model rocket. So it made me think about encouraging kids in science rather than punishing them.

I got an email from Donors Choose, which reminded me it was time to make my monthly donation. And I noticed that my previous challenge had expired (almost all of the requests had been fully funded! Yay!).

So I made a new challenge, this time with a science theme. It's in my sidebar. =====>

The thirteen projects (note: all the projects are from high-poverty-level schools):

All About Science!!!!Kindergartners in Nevada who "expressed an interest in life cycles, plants, water, and why I stress the importance of recycling in the classroom."

Piggys for the Kiddys!!For a freshman science class in the Bronx, New York "to inspire a passion for science during their first year of high school by doing such things as pig dissections, instead of allowing kids to go through high school thinking science isn't fun."

A World Without BalanceFor fourth graders in Long Island, New York, whose "pan balances are old and broken. Before we use them, we need to spend a lot of time putting clay on each end to try to get it balanced."

Super Scientists!"hands on science materials for fun and exciting science lessons" for first graders in North Carolina.

Rollercoaster Dynamo!For high school physics students in Texas, "to understand how the laws of physics apply to everyday tasks. Your donation will give my students an opportunity to use university and industry-level equipment in a real-world setting."

Dreams of a Science TableSixth graders in Philadelphia who need "a science lab table in our classroom so they can complete hands on labs without ruining their classroom desks."

Whose Body Is It?For high school students in Las Vegas "to go beyond just reading about the techniques in the textbook. They will be able to gain hands-on experience working with bones that are not wired together - it will give them a more life-like experience."

Making Biology Come Alive!For sixth-graders in the Bronx, who "are very hands-on learners and they have expressed strong interests in doing hands-on activities in the classroom. I believe the best way for them to learn about biology is by bringing "life" and "nature" into the classroom."

This Is a MountainFor seventh-graders in Massachusetts, to "empower my students to make valuable contributions to our science classes and give them the access to technology that they deserve."

Around the World's Biomes in 540 Days!For first, second, and third-graders in Indiana, to "be able to explore our world- from the smallest of animals to the interesting weather that comes with each location. During the 540 days I have with each of them, they will develop more understanding of what it is like to live throughout the world."

Science InvestigationsFor second-graders in Durham, North Carolina, who "are very interested in science. I feel it would really help their science lessons to be able to look at the things we study through a computer microscope."

Showin' OffFor high school students in Oregon, "many with hopes to follow a career in science. Students who take my class are usually dedicated and focused, but still struggle with the issues surrounding a low-income setting."

I know finances are tight right now, which makes it even harder for these dedicated teachers to raise money to help their students. The nice thing about Donors Choose is that you can donate even just $5, and when it's combined with other small donations, it really adds up.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Awww sad that the boy don't get credit for his creativty on his science project. Those links are awesome place to go to. Intereting read and information and great place to donor too :) Thanks for sharing, Darla!

About Me

For fall's Donor's Choose challenge, I want to concentrate on ESL for a couple of reasons: 1) my daughter is taking a class that involves tutoring non-English-speaking students, and 2) a neighbor was telling me about the difficulties they've had with her daughter being an ESL student.